‘It’s when hope meets reality that we’ll really know if the PM-in-waiting’s vision will translate into better lives for tens of millions of households’
Andy Burnham’s vision of hope was intoxicating – delivered with a message of hope that’s been sorely lacking since even before Labour swept to power. Too many people are just fed-up with the status quo so, boy, is an air of positivity needed.
But it’s when hope meets reality that we’ll really know if the PM-in-waiting’s vision will translate into better lives for tens of millions of households.
And hope has been in short supply, not only now, but stretching back until at least the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. It’s one of the reasons why we’re in the political mess we are.
The ‘King of the North’s” speech was a bold set of aims for what Burnhamomics could bring, with “growth in every postcode” at its heart.
Most people might well be sceptical – who’d blame them after so many years of political fatigue – as they worry instead about battling to make ends meet.
While Mr Burnham held back on detailed policies, we learnt much about how he wants life to change for millions of hard working people.
Key is turning the system of government on its head by using devolution to hand far more control – politically and economically – to local authorities rather than being dictated to by Whitehall.
We got a taste of what that could mean with Mr Burnham’s devolution of employment support which, he claimed, could bring down the overall welfare bill, something that the government will be judged on.
Another crowd pleaser was his pledge for “No10 North” to forge the biggest council house building programme since the post-war era.
A third was “greater public control” of utilities, from water and energy to transport, with the aim of bringing down household bills. That notably falls short of the public ownership of water, in particular, that campaigners have been demanding.
None of the things on Mr Burnham’s wish list will be quick or easy to achieve. But economists I’ve spoken to say devolution, along with reforming everything from the tax system and planning to social care on a local level could be enough to trigger the long overdue economic growth that will finally bring about improved living standards.
And people need to see that happen in their local area, not just with big infrastructure projects.
That means “regenerating” high streets, as Mr Burnham has promised, and using the public sector pound to back British business. It also means the things that matter to people’s every day, like potholes.
The worry is that much of this will take time: something that governments don’t have the luxury of when it comes to bringing about change. Mr Burnham talked about a 10 year plan, much as Sir Keir Starmer did, and we all know what’s happened there.
We stand as a country at a crossroads, or should that be another one after so many false dawns. One route leads to a further fall in living standards between now and the next general election.
The other is where hope translates into meaningful change for people in every part of the country. Should Mr Burnham become PM, much will be made of his first 100 days in power, which would take us to around the time of an autumn Budget.
By then, all being well, we will finally know which route the country could be heading in the make-or-break years ahead.
